Matthew 13:3-9
“A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop – a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. He who has ears, let him hear.”
Matthew 13:18-19
“Listen to what the parable of the sower means: When someone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path. The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away. The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”
We all know that it’s the nature of living things to grow. From children to blue whales to corn, it’s the very nature of living things to grow.
And it’s the nature of the gospel to grow!
Just as a seed contains within it the potential for explosive growth, so the gospel contains the potential for explosive growth, given the right soil conditions.
In his parable Jesus teaches that when the soil of the heart is hardened, the seed of the gospel cannot take root.
When someone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path.
But, on the other hand, Jesus suggests that when the soil of a person’s heart is soft, then the gospel of the kingdom produces a dramatic harvest.
But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”
We’re going to talk more about the harvest Jesus is talking about in a few weeks. But for now, let’s go back to the story of Lee Strobel for a minute.
By his own admission, he was a hard driving, hard-hearted, newspaper man who also happened to be an atheist. That’s not just hard soil, that’s an asphalt parking lot!
But the grace of Christ, through one courageous and compassionate junior reporter, created a small crack in the asphalt. And in that smallest of openings, the good farmer sowed a tiny seed of the gospel.
Have you ever seen a tuft of grass that looks like it’s growing right through a parking lot or sidewalk?
That’s what happened to Lee Strobel.
By the time I heard him tell his story, Mr. Strobel had not only become a follower of Jesus, but a teaching pastor at Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington, Illinois, one of the largest and most influential evangelical churches in North America.
Today he is the author of over 20 books; is a popular speaker; and hosted the network TV program “Faith Under Fire.”
That’s not just growth; that’s explosive growth! That’s not just a blade of grass pushing up through the parking lot; that’s an oak tree!
Now, think for a moment about that young Christian reporter who, despite being bullied by Mr. Strobel, called him to express concern and offered to pray for his wife and unborn child.
What if he had allowed his heart to become hardened by hurt, resentment and anger? What if he had never made that call? What if that tiny gospel seed had never been planted?
May we never tire of helping the good Farmer scatter his seed!
Pastor Brian Coffey
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